Life-saving suit and support therefor



NOV. 10, I

P. LEVESQUE LIFE sAvmG SUIT AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed May 22. 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORN BY Nov- 10, 1925' 1,560,833

P. LEVESQUE LIFE SAVING SUIT AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed May 22. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet z ATTORNEY Nov. 10 1925- 1,560,333

P. LEVESQUE LIFE SAVING SUIT AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed'llay 22, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet s nismwhich will disengage the Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

"u Mrs-p STATES mam LEVESQUE, orcrrroaco,ir.r.mors.

. LiFE-s'AvmG SUIT Annisnrron'r m nna.

' Application med-na 22, 1e25 serie'l' m. 32,158.

To all whom it may'concern:

' Be it known that I, PIERRE LEvEs Un, a subject of the'King of England, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Life-Saving Suits and Supports Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

r This invention relates to life saving apparatus and has for its object the provision .of a novel suit provided "with buoying garment, the supporting structure being pro vided with lever operated releasing mechagarment and act to save considerable time. k

Another object of the invention isthe provision of an apparatus of this character well adapted for use at bathing beaches,on board-ship, at Wharves or-in fact at any place near the water, the device being always ready for instant service and it being possible for the garment to be put on in a very few secondsas is of course necessary in easeof emergency. 1

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a life saving suit constructed in accordance with my invention. j

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the body portion,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, 9

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the-supporting frame illustrating the position of the suit, in the dotted lines,

Fig. 5 is a detailed side elevation of the frame, parts thereof being broken away and illustrated in section,-

Fig.6 is a perspeetiveview of the frame supporting the locking members,

Fig. 7 isadetailed sideelevation of one the supporting members, I i

Fig. 8 is aside elevation illustrating aslightlyinodified form of frame," r

shown in Fig. 8

Fig. --9 is"a. top plan view of the frame it I Fig.; ;10 is a detailed section on the line 10'10 of Fig. 8, and Fig. 11 is a perspective of one of the supporting plates on t e frame shown in F ig. 8.

Referring more particularly to the draw: lngs, and expecially to Figures 1 to 3 in-' elusive, I have shown a'garment designated broadly by the numeral 10, which garment includes a torso covering portion 11 and leg covering, portions 12 which terminate in foot covering members 13'. The torso cover ng portion 111 has attachedthereto sleeves 14' and a yoke or shoulderengaging portion 15,the latter being of very elastic material so as to befcapableof spreading open to a suflicient'extent' to "permit the passage of the body. of the wearer. The

sleeves 14 "terminate ini cuffs l6 which are likewise of a very elastic material so as to permit the passage of the hands" therethru, while ordinarily being suflieiently contr'acted to grip the wrists closely and prevent'inlet of water 'at this point. If desired, the shoe or foot covering portion 13 as preferred.

maybe weighted toi-a slight extent, or not, In order that theldeviee may have buoy ancy, it maybe provided with a plurality of floats 17 of cork or other similar mate'- rial located at the front of the torso en gaging portionll', or if preferred, these floats may be replaced by hollow inflatable bag members 18 equipped with inflation tubes 19. If desired, a combination'of both types, of .floatsmay .be usedas indicated at Figure 2. 4 I

The numeral 19 designates a collar which is relatively elastic and which is designed tobe engaged about theneek portionQO of the yoke 15 for the purpose of holding it about the neck of the wearer. 19 is placedin position-by being passed over the head. of the user, and connected therewith; is a flexible member/21 also con- ..nected with some suitable portion of the This collar 3 maybeproteet'ed from becomin "wet,.'use[ is may bemade offafcap"22 of rub er or ther like capable ofbeing stretched overthe head insuch"manner' as to: leave the faceeX-f lid.

posed, and the edge"ofthiseapris'pref 'er bly provided with ahead 23 a: suflicient nt? t grin ho he tqrehea nd. ..,q. hh h a c hse y a t preven e k: age erwater. Connected with the cap s a flexible member 24 which is also connected with some suitable pointonthegarthe suit iflupright pqslitlqn ready; qtqlthe. iteg axt 9. Q htt pet to. e ter. nt t.

stand; is she-Whsl. c mprising am t ght. eht ngt ar, frame 2.5 formed. of or hh id ng' hy. des ed number. f h low hart the like. r angedia any Suitable 1. .1 se ur dogether n any. hs edi Suita y m'e iht d. n. tha -t me hrath s. Zhu whiqh' re pitot lly "1 jm ethia s Zi inzryihg' dependin -As ka 1 tiiitiomtfthe su t in h ld ngithes it. S115;-

pi tied an Q hold ng th s 1 n ck port en.

anfittl j s! hdihatedliinjFigure P t.- Qt y,h nhe te ithle ftee'hr nner he a}? at tl tes 2h he. hke,

d th eo fihesot' the :f ame ed me be 5 vWh th s ems titted. in etmet ate. heir ends, s htwh 2,. and-"whit l isp y dedt h htfp l t hh with hea hg. members 33.

hr gh which. is: i hfn le aafrock. ha 4:: liavingcrank arms thereon. Atits. cenraln gtien thislte h sh it snro dhd; i

ahd'ingz fi ger of angular t r-ma a onarily. m un ed. n. th frame-f The; he ins mhers 8' ha h hr upp r portions. hiturtat di s hQ-WI1=. a d piretedf at:

" 35 8"; tithih hes 'hi imati are; thefl w r htle f he inkst r 't h- 0. x hegbight R ti91 ..-Of. the shap d rii mheh s at latspr'ingSQ which bears against the ,fingjen 36 t r n rmally. holding the same? in.

t wit-l the; keeper 37. .Pivp tally;

tted Yith the tha klhrm 35 re rods- 0 1 a al i 'atl d t ere he ti shfiht:

memherlh ahd.,w ith are 0 l. grips. v411; piv otally} mounted A tuhi g hatthe itesaringt itl sif h httzks- 2. antica e i h? 01; the off the. trtm 2 wh never i i .ir 'di' t tdh the 3 i th it gtard.

; other "P rs an tnsii te he g ment the Pt; the; 'gttipsi r and; squeezes the t' -V dithtfilld? 9 h ped m mhen 3.1. lfihei'qtk shaft. 41 n i dvathe finger:

ap ed-th e eng ged Within he neck.

are. n ts taHy.e nnecttd. n sh ag t the, resistance. of. the springs. 39-: out. in .gemeh withthekeep rh The "1. thttghtithts lt t atdly.-. n; he

coming wet extreme of course, the face and hands. Furthermore, the garment will operate to keep the wearer, warm. and; prevent @hi-lling champs in case the- Water s ve zy: h ld. I

' ish ei 8 11 nhhls e I e stin-ted a lightly. mod fied; for-1110f t ams for UQP -Rh IDg: the garmen in posit on and; ne tly. to be, planed on the wearer, This frame comprises uprights 5Q arranged in r ct ngular tQrma itm hen-r pen 11th o WhiQh ar hh ted o substantial y r angulaiz eme Arr nged tmanstersely- 85 of the frame. 5L at each end; thereofane-notable, shaft 52 haying secured thereto the engaging hooks. 53 which are adapted to eng ge with t e nec portion f h gar-- gent for supporting the sameinasnsphndedl esit h i M The shafts.v 52: exten at one e bey nd: one side of the frame- 51 and. support-the han-h. ms 5- one i the crank; arms-being conne ted to he upnen en f the pivoted tr 55 hy means of a link 56 Theother. an arm. CQl QGtfi t itihelever adj acent? its owe nd.v ymea-ns of: aink- 57.. This lever 55 is. n vc ally" mounted. upon a; $1119? whi in sla e t hedtoi one Sideithe frame .1; w reby s inging: movement o the lever 55will. rotate the shaft-s62; inthe Qpp si e dires o helma-'55 iSJQtflinQd n anormally. vale ita ghh i ion. bat mean of a. pira ed catch fihthe nper en 4 which: i ngaged.- ith:- h. h eeessfio. farmed: he n ml of; h e: nl thvhhand re ained: in. h s .nhsi ion y;- hh ns a o nt ng; 6.1; snoseds ett een; heha dlahZ i he: member and th 1 handle 63 of the lever; 55, 1, It; ill -be appar en hati the: a ch m m er 5.9 s; pive ally onneeted o h ever; 55.- as. shown: at 6.4; whereby the operator may readily giiasp thet two. handles- 62, and. 63? and; disengage. the catch member from the recess; 60;to,-permit ate al. movement of the leven 5,5 in either direction. 1 Y 1 F gur 81 hefhoek. m mbers .:v are shown in positionafor; supn rtingz the suit.

by engaging the expansiblegneck; portion;v

Wh n. it. is 5 desi d: o release; h 'suit. fr m a h ooks the? ever: 5 s.- mo e la o; he left; swinging the hooks 53 inwardly towandzeaclr therrditeng ging he s me; rem th n tzka the suit.

7 From he? fQ g ing description and": a

study of the drawingsih will be apparenti h t. 1;. have thus. pr v ded simply canstlucted, n xpen iv and? ery; efiicientzw to make such changes in the form construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, 1 claim:

1. In combination, a garment of impervious elastic material and a supporting stand for suspending the same in upright position, comprising a frame, arm members movably mounted upon the frame, and means on said arm members engaging within a portion of the garment for holding the same distended 2. In combination, a garment of impervious elastic material and a supporting stand for suspending the same in upright position, comprising a frame, arm members m0V- ably mounted upon the frame, and means on said arm members engaging'within a portion of the garment for holding the same dis tended, and lever operated means for releasing sald means.

3. In combination, a garment of impervious elastic material, and a supporting stand for suspending the same including an upright frame, arms pivoted within the frame and carrying hooks engaging within said neck portion expanded, and lever operated means connected with said arms for moving them out of engagement with the garment.

' 4. A supportlng stand for a life savlngsuit comprlslng an upright frame, arms the neck portion of the garment for holding,

pivoted within the frame and carryinghooks adapted for engagement with the garment at the neck thereof for holding it expanded, a U-shaped member pivotally mounted within the frame, gripreleaselocking means normally holding said U shaped. member against movement, and means connected to said member and with said arms for swinging the latter to disengage the-hooks from the garment. I

5. A supporting stand for life saving suits comprising a frame, movable hook members carried by the frame whereby tonormally engage the neck portion of the suit for holding it expanded and an operating lever having operative connection with the hooks whereby to manually movethem out of engagement with the neck ortions of the suit.

In testimony whereo I affix my'signa ture. v o

PIERRE LEVESQUE. 

